A Texas native, Ms. Rollins worked in the first Trump White House and has also led two influential conservative think tanks.

The sprawling U.S. Department of Agriculture controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition.

President-elect Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins, a former White House aide in his first administration, to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in his second term. “Brooke’s